Taking A Second Look
by Spoiledblue
Summary: Complete: The guys play cupid's advocate and help Hunter take a second look at his friendship with Tori.


This is just a quick Valentine fic on Hunter & Tori. This story takes place about a year and a half after the ending of PRNS. I hope you all enjoy! Please don't forget to review!  
  
Taking A Second Look  
  
It was a late Friday afternoon and all the rangers minus Tori were in Ninja Ops talking the rest of the day away. Hunter had just arrived from the Thunder Ninja Academy and engrossed himself into the conversation between Shane, Dustin and Cam. Valentine's day was the next day and the guys were talking about what they got their girlfriends.  
  
"Yeah dudes, I ordered a dozen yellow roses for Marah. I can't wait to see the look on her face man!" Dustin had said as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Dude, why yellow roses? Red ones are so much better! Isn't yellow the color of friendship when it comes to flowers?" Shane asked.  
  
"Shane does have a point there, Dustin." Cam answered  
  
"Dudes! Yellow roses, red roses whatever! Girls go crazy for them one way or another." Dustin said as he let out a sigh. What did you guys get your girlfriends?  
  
"I am taking Kelly out to dinner and a movie," Shane answered.  
  
"I am taking Leann on a weekend getaway. We are going to head to a town a few hours out from Blue Bay Harbor. I rented a small beach house. We're going to go parasailing, riding on an ATV and have dinner on the beach." Cam said.  
  
"You guys are hopeless." Hunter chimed in.  
  
"We're hopeless? Dude, do you have plans for Valentine's Day?" Dustin asked.  
  
"No, why should I? I don't even have a girlfriend."  
  
"Ah, but you would if you and Tori would just take the next step." Shane added as he patted Hunter on the back.  
  
Hunter was caught off guard. He had no clue what Shane was talking about. "Bro, what do you mean?"  
  
"Man, I mean come on now. You don't see it? I think you two are attracted to each other. Right guys?" Shane responded.  
  
"I would have to agree with my buddy here." Dustin stated  
  
"Yeah ditto for me," Cam added.  
  
"What?" Hunter asked.  
  
Dustin went a little closer to Hunter and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Bro, ever since Blake left like a year and a half ago, you and Tori have totally grown closer right?"  
  
"Closer, I would say inseparable," Shane piped in.  
  
Hunter looked like he was pondering on how to answer before he responded to Dustin. "Okay, so we are closer friends now than before."  
  
"You know, her and Blake have agreed to remain friends and he's dating some model chick that he met in Europe right?"  
  
"Yeah Dustin, so what's your point." Hunter was getting a little annoyed.  
  
"Dude, the point is take a chance man and ask her out! People say friends can turn into lovers right?" Dustin pointed out.  
  
"I guess, whatever man." Hunter answered. Yeah it was true that him and Tori hung out often. The two would meet at the beach and spar some evenings. He would watch her surf and she would go riding with him at the track. Ever since Shane, Dustin and Cam started dating their girlfriends, it left only him and Tori for Friday night movie nights. So, instead of hanging out and renting movies the two started seeing the latest flicks together at the theater. He was even able to convince her to go camping with him one weekend over the summer. Now that Hunter thought about it, the two really spent a lot of time together.  
  
"Hey man, you can't say that after all this time, you never thought of Tori as more than just a friend?" Shane asked.  
  
Hunter hated to admit it, but there were times he thought that he and Tori could be more than friends, but Blake was always in the way. Well, until a few months ago when a magazine had Blake and a model pictured on the cover that said, "Motocross Champion Finds Love On The Runway." Him and the others tried so hard to make sure that Tori did not see the magazine, but of course you couldn't prevent the possibility from happening. Unfortunately, Kapri came to the academy for class with some "reading material" that she was more than happy to share with Tori. Tori did a pretty good job of hiding her feelings, but Hunter could see the turbulent emotions through her eyes. Hunter was so deep in thought that the others just started laughing at their love stricken friend. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Dude, your silence is enough of an answer for us. You just need stop fooling yourself. I'm pretty sure Tori feels the same. Just go for it man." Shane finished. "I guess. What do I have to lose?" Hunter said. 'Other than a friendship with a beautiful girl', he thought. "So, what do you guys suggest?"  
  
The guys then all huddled around the Thunder ninja and gave him some ideas. A half an hour later Tori bounded down the stairs of Ninja Ops interrupting the guys from their conversation.  
  
"Hey guys! What's going on?" She asked the foursome.  
  
"Not much Tor. We were just talking about this and that." Cam answered.  
  
"Yeah, we were just talking about you know, Valentine's Day." Dustin said as he scratched the top of his head.  
  
"Uh yeah, speaking of which I've gotta go and um get a card for Kelly. Later guys!" Shane said he went to leave Ninja Ops.  
  
"Hey dude, wait for me! I'm going with you." Dustin yelled as he ran after the Air ninja.  
  
"Yeah and I've got to go pick up Leann at the Thunder Ninja Academy. Have a good weekend guys and uh a Happy Valentine's Day. Bye!" Cam said as he ran out of Ninja Ops also.  
  
"Uh, okay, what did I miss?" Tori was confused by the guys' odd behavior, but when did these guys ever seem normal?  
  
"Nothing Tor. You know them, they have been acting that way since they all started dating their girlfriends." Hunter answered. He was a little nervous to be left alone with Tori so quickly. He didn't even get a chance to think of what he was going to do, let alone what he was going to ask her. "Uh, want to catch a flick as usual Tor?"  
  
"Ah, you know what? There isn't really anything in theaters that I want to see this week. Do you want to just order in some Chinese food and chill at my place?"  
  
"Sure, let's go. I'll follow you to your apartment." Hunter said as he walked up closer to Tori and placed his arm over her shoulder as the two walked out.  
  
At Tori's place the two were sitting on the couch side-by-side channel surfing. There were empty cartons of Chinese food strewn about the coffee table. It was late and the two settled on watching SNL (Saturday Night Live). The two were talking until early into the next morning. Hunter and Tori had fallen asleep on the couch. Tori had woken up to the 3:00 am infomercials. She noticed that Hunter was fast asleep with his head laid back against the couch and his feet on the coffee table. He looked so cute to her. She had grown to like Hunter more and more as time passed on, but she was too scared to admit it. She already had a dead end relationship with the other Thunder brother. Blake and her had agreed to remain friends, but it wasn't too long after that when he started dating that model. As soon as those two got together, their pictures were all over the magazines and they were the hottest gossip on those Hollywood talk shows. Tori couldn't help, but feel a bit jealous and hurt. Hunter on the hand was a great friend and she loved spending time with him. She never really thought about them being more than just friends, but the more time they spent together the more she wanted to be with him. Tori got up and went to go grab a spare blanket from her room. She came back with the blanket in hand and placed it over Hunter. She stood back for a moment and watched him as he slept. Her feelings got the best of her and she bent down slowly and placed a light butterfly kiss upon his lips. When she stepped away to her room she had failed to see the smile that had spread across the handsome man's face.  
  
A couple of hours later Hunter had woken up to find himself alone on the couch. He had a wonderful dream last night. He had dreamt that him and Tori finally got together and that the two had shared a kiss. The kiss felt so real to him, but little did he know Tori really had kissed him. Hunter got up and folded the blanket that Tori had placed on him earlier that morning. He fixed himself and quietly left the apartment. He made sure that he left the door unlocked so that he could sneak back in before Tori woke up. He had a little surprise in store for the blond beauty that haunted his sweet dreams at night. He headed home to take a quick shower and change. Then he stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items that he needed to make breakfast for him and Tori. He also picked up two- dozen crimson colored roses. He arrived back to her apartment less than an hour later. He crept over to the door to her room to see if she was still sleeping. Then he took some of the flowers and started spreading the pedals on the carpet from her room to the door that led to the patio deck of her beach house apartment (AN: Seen 90210? Tori lives in a complex like Kelly and Donna's.). He cleaned up the living room and started on breakfast. He had made French toast, scrambled eggs and some bacon. He went to place some plates out on the table on the deck.  
  
Meanwhile Tori stirred from her sleep. She sat up on her bed and she could have sworn she smelled something like cinnamon. She got up out of bed and walked over to the bathroom to freshen up. Then she slowly opened the door to her room and gasped in shock. "What in the world?" Tori said aloud. She continued down the hall and followed the rose petals that led throughout the living room. She stopped to see if Hunter was still asleep on the couch and sure enough he was not there. 'I wonder what's going', Tori thought as she continued towards the door that led to the deck. She opened the door to find her table set for two complete with plates, glasses, a bowl of cut up melons and a pitcher of orange juice. Tori couldn't believe her eyes.  
  
Hunter had come around the corner after grabbing the other dozen of roses from his hiding place. He stopped abruptly when he saw Tori out on the deck with a surprised, but pleases expression on her face. "Good morning Tor."  
  
Tori didn't know what to think or how to take the whole thing. It seemed so romantic. She had never had anyone go to this length just to get her attention. 'Did Hunter have feelings for her the way she did for him?' This, among other thoughts flowed through her mind. "Good morning Hunter." Tori turned to face him. To Hunter she looked beautiful in her white Capri pajama pants and light blue tank top. She had her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Hunter stepped towards her and handed her the roses that he was holding. "Happy Valentine's Day Tor."  
  
She took the flowers from him and inhaled their intoxicating scent. "Thank you. Happy Valentine's Day to you too." She placed the flowers down gently on one of the chairs and went to give him a hug. "You're the best!"  
  
Hunter held her for a moment and then pulled back to look into her light blue eyes. Tori was feeling nervous and turned away. Hunter cupped her chin in his hand and turned her face towards him. "Would you please be my valentine Tor?"  
  
She couldn't believe what she was hearing, "What are you really asking for Hunter?" She had to know that this wasn't going to only be for today, but for however long time would allow.  
  
Hunter kept his immense brown eyes on her and replied, "Tori, we barely knew each other almost two years ago and look how far we have come now. The more we got to know each other and the more we spent time together, the more I fell in love with you. Tor, would you be more than just my valentine for today, but for however long you can stand to be with me?"  
  
Tori had exhaled and relaxed into his hold of her. She couldn't believe that he had just told her how he felt. Blake was barely able to tell her that he liked her when he did, but Hunter laid all his cards out on the table and bared his soul to her. She was so happy that he felt the same way. "Hunter, you and I have become closer than I ever thought we would. I've gotten so close to you that I can't even imagine my life without you now. To answer your question, yes, I'll be yours till the end of time.  
  
Hunter smiled down at his blond goddess. He lifted her chin up and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. The two parted and looked into each other's eyes. Then the two met for a more passionate kiss. When they broke apart Hunter said, "Let's eat before the food goes bad." The two then went to enjoy the breakfast that he had made.  
  
As they were finishing up breakfast a thought came to Tori's mind and she asked Hunter, "So, what took you so long to tell me how you felt?'  
  
"Hunter looked up from his plate and responded, "I just needed a moment to step back and take a second look at what was really there." He then leaned towards her and the two shared a cinnamon filled kiss.  
  
The End 


End file.
